Newbie - I am getting ready to get into a used XK/XKR convertible (waiting to the first snow storm....). My preference as far as classic lines is the pre-07. But the 07 and up are supposed to be much improved, nicer cabin, and faster. But are they more fun to drive?
What would you, Jag heads go for. I will keep the car for many years (hopefully), so purchase cost is not the most important thing - I can afford either one.
My last sports car was a Honda S2000, which I sold after great 8 years (now I regret)

 

When I started considering a used XK8/XKR, not only was my budget limited to the last generation (i.e., pre-2007 here in the States) but, even if I could have afforded it, I greatly preferred the looks of that vintage versus the latest generation. To my eye, the new XK's looked unnecessarily bulky and clunky.

However, now that they have been around a while, the look of the new ones has sort of grown on me. They have a more chiseled/aggressive look compared to the old ones.

So I like both and the looks of both are classic and still unique.

Doug

 

I like the 07s alot, especially since the 20" senta wheels are pretty sweet! I've picked out my perfect color combo, exterior/interior, steering wheel, other options... just have to find it in a year or two!

 

I love my pre 07,but the 07 are growing on me too.Maybe next year..

 

I like both but I want the 2010 XKR 500hp Supercharged.

 

Both are nice cars. I've only seen the XKR which has great seats with nice bolsters compaired to my 2000 XK8.

 

Obviously both great cars, but my vote would be for the older models...................ageless beauty! Barring catastrophe, I plan to keep my 2000 XKR for life. I love the looks, the ride, the sound and the overall feel of it. I don't need a faster car, as I don't avail myself of all the horses currently under the hood as it is.
Nice choice to have to make though!
Brian

 

Kind of my thoughts. The 07+ looks like it could be something other than a Jag. The 06 - you know it's a Jag. the minute you look at it.

 

Agree both are beautiful, elegant cars. I think the new model has a disappointing interior, though. It doesn't have the same "wow" factor as the older model's - especially the dash itself which, although is ergonomicaloly flawed and dated, still looks unique.

 

Having just made this decision, I got the 2006 XKR Coupe as the most attractive choice in my thinking. The lines are more traditional to the XK line and I think it gets more attention than the newer one. I also liked the $20,000 price difference between the 06 and the 07.

 

Yes, the pre 07 have the 'timeless' lines. The interior is unique also. The 07 can look like any other sport/GT , if you took the Jag name off it . Not so with the 06. The only thing I really don't like about the 06 - is the huge steering wheel, even on the R.

 

I like both of them its kinda hard to choose. I have the old body XKR and I love it. I gotta go test drive the brand new one and make an decision. They are both classic Jags.

 

Things the newer car is better at:

Soft top storage.
With my 2000 XKR I dont like that I have to either get out to put the cover on/off before/after opening/closing the roof every time... Or just don't and see the headliner flapping around in the rearview mirror, and worry about all the wear and dirt it is definitely picking up from that. And while I'm on the soft top subject: I'm only 6ft tall but my head just touches the headliner even with the seat fully down. That happened in my Ferrari 308 GTS too though.

Body lightness/stiffness
Never driven a new shape car but I can't help betting that everyone else is right (including Clarkson and my Jag dealer) that there's a hell of a handling improvement in lightness and stiffness due to the aluminium body. I'm not really bothered though as the old one is still actually very agile and the opportunity for caning the car around small twisty roads is pretty limited here in Arizona.

Sound
Yeah the newer ones engines do sound better, but there's always the small but uncomfortable point that they did fake/enhance it with active technology. I bet the new shape cars don't have as many annoying little miscellaneous rattles and squeaks when driving either. Also the new car's stereo has bluetooth and plays MP3s etc. The old car's CD stacker can't even cope with long CDs without skipping (naughty Alpine), and it doesnt even see CD-Rs or CD-RWs at all (doubly naughty Alpine).

Power
Well 380hp (or whatever 2000 XKRs have) is still more than enough to push you back hard and put a serious smile on your face when the supercharger kicks in, but who doesn't always want more?

Things the older car is better at:

Looks
The new car will probably look dated in not many years. The old car is a timeless classic. I think the older shape is MUCH nicer and more distinctive. I think I get many more appreciative looks and comments in my old XKR than a new XKR would get.

Individuality
The new car looks too derivative and too much like every other car on the road today. It just isn't a JAAAAG any more. More like a Jercedes or JMW. The old car still looks much more thoroughbred classy and refined, and they are getting both rarer and cheaper, so these days the old car more and more says "individual, tasteful and quirky" than "rich ******" like the new one does.

Wafting
If you have ever driven a Jag you will know what I mean. Apparently the new ones can't do it as well, due to their harder suspension tuning.

Interior
The new steering wheel is ugly. Does anyone REALLY prefer silver plastic and fiddly buttons instead of burl walnut? Also, I still dont think LCD panels look nice or right in really classic cars, especially compared to analog dials, and especially in Jags. The old car has a slightly smaller/tighter cabin but I actually like that. Its like putting on a glove. I also like the knowledge that skilled craftsmen spent lots of time selecting the best leather and wood to individually hand-make my interior and dashboard.

Perhaps thats it. The old car is definately a 'classic car'. It has the same lines as a ww2 spitfire wing and seems like it was probably designed by serious bearded men that wear lots of tweed, drink real ale and like cricket and sheds. It evokes massive sentiment for many of us Brits of a certain age.

I dont imagine the same will ever really be said of the new car. It just seems too mass-produced and generic. I hope TATA will undo some of the Ford-ness for the next XK. Of all nationalities, Indians have the culture and history to understand British classical style and sentimentality. Even their taxis are basically rebadged Morris Oxfords (also TATA) and they still make Royal Enfields. Here's hoping.

 

That is the best way to potentially become disappointed and disenchanted with what you have. How can you go to a showroom to see, touch, smell, drive the latest and greatest and not start regretting what you have. That is the whole business model of the auto industry (and many other industries). They convince you that what you currently have needs to be replaced with the new and much improved version, you go ahead and buy it, then in the blink of an eye that becomes outdated.

Doug

 

JustNiz,

I agree with everything you say except the above quote. I have 4 caddies, all containing CDR's and have no issue with any of them reading or skipping in my current '06 or in my previous '01.

I would also like to add that in my opinion the edgy parts of the current design are poorly executed and cheapen the overall presentation of the car. That plastic grill doesn't help either.

 

Interesting. And its definately the stock Jaguar stacker? I'd guessed that skipping on later tracks and not being able to recognise CD-R and CD-RW was a stacker model issue, as I used to have an XK8 and it did exactly the same thing. Perhaps its just a fault that was common to both my cars. I bought both cars used so have no knowledge of amount of CD usage since new.

Question: what brand and type disks do you use? Are they write-once (CD-R) or rewriteable (CD-RW)? 65 or 70 minutes? I'm wondering if its just a case of choosing the right brand and/or type of blank disc.

 

It definitely is the stock Alpine deck and I almost always use Verbatim 70min CD-R media. CD-RW is a mixed bag so I don't bother with them. I also prefer using a dedicated CD burner for this purpose as opposed to a DVDR drive. I have a Plextor Premium drive and when it dies, I have a new spare one waiting.